Decorative fence



Nov. 19, 1968 E. c. WOOD 3,411,753

DECORATIVE FENCE Filed Oct. 5, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l J Ef/zffon Hood iATTORNEY Nov. 19, 1968 E. c. woon DECORATIVE FENCE I5 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Oct. 5, 1966 E. C/yfon 11/000 ATTORNEY Nov. 19, 1968 c, wooD3,411,753

DECORAT IVE FENCE Filed Oct. 5, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l l I :E k l as" HI}! N I I m J ll] l I P R p 35 39 Fjl4 I INVENTOR E.C'/1' Ion h ood l733 BY WWW l2a-- 3g ATTORNEY United States Patent ()7 3,411,753DECORATIVE FENCE Everette Clifton Wood, Ardmore, Okla., assignor ofeighty percent to Betty Wood and twenty percent to John Caldwell, bothof Ardmore, Okla.

Filed Oct. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 584,494 9 Claims. (Cl. 25624) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE In a decorative fence, the combination of horizontallyextending fence rail means, vertically disposed decorative panel meansformed from sheet material having edge portions thereof supportablyretained by said rail means, and fence posts connected to said railmeans for supporting said panel means with the lowermost edge thereofspaced above the ground, said panel means being formed from a singlesheet of material cut along an irregular line to provide each panel witha series of prominences and recesses therebetween, the size and shape ofthe prominences of each panel being complementally identical to the sizeand shape of the recesses in the other panel.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fences,particularly ornamental or decorative fences, and the principal objectof the invention is to provide a fence of an aesthetic appearance whichis very simple in construction, which may be easily and economicallymanufactured and installed, and in which the fence paneling is spacedabove the ground so that access may be had thereunder for cutting ortrimming grass, and the like.

Briefly, the fence structure of the invention comprises posts supportinghorizontal rail means which are grooved to support vertical panel meanswith the lowermost edge of the panel means spaced above the ground asalready noted. One important feature of the invention resides inconnecting the fence posts to the rail means in an adjustable manner,which permits positioning of the panel means in a vertical plane evenwhen the posts have not been installed exactly in their intendedpositions.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the arrangement ofthe panel means, each panel being out along an irregular line to providea series of prominences and recesses therebetween. Such prominences andrecesses not only enhance the aesthetic appearance of the paneling, butsince the size and shape of the prominences of each panel complementallyconform to the size and shape of the recesses in another panel, thepanels may be cut economically from a sheet of material without anywaste.

With the foregoing more important object and [features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention will be understood from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereinlike characters of reference are used to designate like parts, andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a decorative fencein accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing how the fence panels are cutfrom a single piece of material;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the fence shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational detail showing theconnection of one of the fence posts to the rail;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view,

3,411,753 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 taken substantially in the plane of theline 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantiallyin the plane of the line -6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the fence of FIG. 1 but with a modified postarrangement;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional detail of thefence post connection in FIG. 7;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional detail, similar to that in FIG. 8, butillustrating a modified embodiment of the fence post and connection;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing a modifiedembodiment of the fence;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing the cut out of panels forthe fence embodiment of FIG. 10;

FIGURE 12 is an end view of the fence shown in FIG. 10;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional detail .of thefence post connection in FIG. 12; and

FIGURE 14 is an end view of the fence in FIG. 10 but with a modifiedpost arrangement.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularlyto FIGS. l-6' inclusive, the decorative fence of the invention isdesignated generally by the numeral 10, it being understood that only alongitudinal portion of the fence appears in FIG. 1 and that the fencemay be of any suitable running length.

The fence 10 comprises fence rail means consisting of a single,horizontal rail 11 supported at longitudinally spaced points by fenceposts 12 which are connected to the rail in a manner hereinafter to bedescribed. The upper and lower edges of the rail 11 are provided withlongitudinal grooves 13 to support decorative panel means comprising anupper panel 14 and a lower panel 15, both disposed in a vertical plane.The upper panel 14 has its lower edge seated in the groove 13 in theupper edge of the rail 11, while the lower panel 15 has its upper edgeinserted in the groove in the lower edge of the rail, so that the panel14 projects above the rail and the panel 15 depends from the rail, aswill be clearly apparent. The edges of the panels 14, 15 which areinserted in the grooves 13 may be retained therein in any suitablemanner, as for example, by frictional fit alone, or by an adhesive, orby fastener elements such as screws, or the like. The grooved rail 11 isH-shaped in cross-section, as will be apparent from FIG. 6.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the panels 14, 15 may be formed from a singlesheet of material M of any suitable running length, the material beingcut along an irregular line 16 so as to provide each panel with a seriesof prominences P. When the panels 14, 15 are separated after cuttingalong the line 16, the prominences P of each panel result in theformation of a series of recesses R between the prominences of the otherpanel, as will be apparent from FIG. 1. The size and shape of theprominences of each panel is thus complementally identical to the sizeand shape of the recesses in the other panel, and in this manner thepanels may be cut from the sheet M without any waste of materialwhatever. It is to be noted that the particular shape of the prominencesand recesses as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is for illustrative purposesonly, and that this may be varied in an endless variety of differentpatterns. In any event, when the panels are cut out and assembled to therail 11, the particular configuration thereof will produce a highlyaesthetic appearance, it also being noted that the recesses R are openat the upper edge of the upper panel 14 and at the lower edge of thelower panel 15 to provide a striking visual effect by the prominences Pprojecting both upwardly and downwardly from the fence rail 11 betweenthe two panels.

Each of the aforementioned fence posts 12 may consist of a length ofpipe or rod, having its lower end portion inserted in the ground orembedded in a concrete walk, or the like. The upper end of the post isscrew-threaded into an adapter cap 17 as indicated at 18 in FIG. 5, andthe fence rail 11 is held assembled to the cap 17 in any suitablemanner, as for example, by a screw 19 extending downwardly through therail into the cap at the underside of the rail. As a practical matter,the rail 11 may be seated directly on top of the cap 17, but preferably,adjustable leveling means are interposed between the rail and the cap.These means comprise a pair of discs 20, 21 whi:h are complementallybevelled as shown in FIG. 4 and are centrally apertured to receive thescrew 19 therethrough. It will be apparent that during erection of thefence, the discs 20, 21 may be rotated relative to each other about thescrew 19, so as to facilitate positioning of the panel means 14, 15 in avertical plane even if the post 12 is not installed exactly in avertical position.

The posts 12 are sufiiciently long to support the rail 11 and the panelmeans 14, 15 so that the lowermost edge of the lower panel 15 is spacedabove the ground indicated at 22. In this manner, clearance exists underthe fence to facilitate mowing or trimming of grass directly below thefence, except of course, in the immediate vicinity of the posts 12.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified fence post arrangement wherein the posts12a are set back from the vertical plane of the fence panels 14, 15, soas to be less likely to interfere with the movement of a lawn mower ortrimmer under the fence. In this modified arrangement, as shown indetail in FIG. 8, the cap 17 is mounted by the screw 19 on the rear sideof the rail 11, rather than directly below the rail, and the upper endof the post 1211 is screwthreaded into a 90 elbow 23 which, in turn, isprovided with a short nipple 24 screw-threaded laterally into the cap17. Thus, the post 12a is spaced rearwardly from the vertical plane ofthe fence to afford additional clearance for lawn mowing or trimming.

The cap 17 in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 may be placed directlyagainst the back side of the rail 11 or, if desired, the bevelled discs20, 21 may be interposed between the cap and the rail to affordadjustment between the fence post and the rail in facilitating verticalpositioning of the fence panels. This is shown in FIG. 9 which alsoillustrates a further modification wherein the 90 elbow 23 issubstituted by a 45 elbow 23a so that the post 12b extends downwardlyand rearwardly from the fence at an acute angle of approximately 45 tothe ground. Thus, the lower end of the post 12b enters the ground at apoint spaced considerably rearwardly from the vertical plane of thefence and even a greater clearance exists for lawn mowing purposes thanin the instances of the posts 12 and 12a, already described.

Referring now to FIGS. -13, the same illustrate a modified embodiment ofthe fence designated generally by the numeral 30. Here, instead of twofence panels, a single panel 31 is provided in a vertical plane, theupper and lower edges of this panel "being seated in longitudinalgrooves 32 formed in the respective lower and upper edges of a pair ofhorizontal rails 33. Each of the fence posts 12b is provided at itsupper end with an elbow 23a connected by a short nipple 34 to a T 35,the latter having lengths of pipe 36 extending both upwardly anddownwardly therefrom. The ends of the pipes 36 are equipped with 90elbows 23 which are connected by short nipples 24 to the caps 17,secured by the screws 19 to the upper and lower rails 33, as will beclearly understood from FIGS. 12 and 13.

The single fence panel 31 is cut out from a sheet of material M alongthe lines 16 as shown in FIG. 11, so that when the panel is removed fromthe material sheet, it has a series of upwardly and downwardlyprojecting prominences P with recesses R therebetween. The recesses areopen at the upper and lower edges of the panel and the upper and lowerend portions of the prominences are seated in the grooves 32 of therails 33 to retain the panel in position. It will be noted that unlikein the embodiment of FIG. 1 wherein the recesses R are open in thefinished form of the fence, in the embodiment of FIG. 10 the recessesbecome closed by the rails 33 at the upper and lower edges of the panel.

It will be also observed that the size and shape of the prominences P inthe upper portion of the panel 31 are complementally identical to thesize and shape of the recesses R in the lower portion of the panel.Thus, one panel may be out after another from the material sheet Mwithout any waste of material whatever.

FIG. 14 shows a modified post arrangement such as may be used in thefence 30 of FIGS. 10-13. Here, the vertical post 12a, set back from theplane of the fence, is provided at its upper end with a T 37, having onebranch thereof connected by a nipple 38 to the cap 17 on the lower oneof the rails 33. The T 37 is also provided with an upward post extension39 having a elbow 23 at its upper end connected by a nipple 24 to thecap 17 on the upper one of the rails 33. The post extension 39 thusserves not only to support the fence rails 33, but also to connect therails to each other. This same function, incidentally, is also performedby the lengths of pipe 36 in the arrangement of FIG. 12.

In all embodiments of the invention the fence post portions below thefence panels may be camouflaged by shrubbery, or the like, so that theyare hidden from view and the fence has the appearance of being suspendedabove the ground, without visible means of support.

While in the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferredembodiments of the invention, various modifications may become apparentto those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly,it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and variousmodifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a decorative fence, the combination of horizontally extendingfence rail means, vertically disposed decorative panel means formed fromsheet material having edge portions thereof supportably retained by saidrail means, and fence posts connected to said rail means for supportingsaid panel means with the lowermost edge thereof spaced above theground, said panel means being formed from a single sheet of materialcut along an irregular line to provide each panel with a series ofprominences and recesses therebetween, the size and shape of theprominences of each panel being complementally identical to the size andshape of the recesses in the other panel.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means connecting saidposts to said rail means, said connecting means being adjustable tofacilitate positioning of said panel means in a vertical plane.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said posts are spacedrearwardly from said panel means.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 :wherein said posts extendrearwardly and downwardly from said panel means at an acute angle.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said rail means comprises asingle horizontal rail having longitudinal grooves in upper and loweredges thereof, said panel means comprising an upper panel having itslower edge seated in the grooved upper edge of the rail and a lowerpanel having its upper edge seated in the grooved lower edge of therail.

6. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said recesses are open atthe upper and lower edges of the upper and lower panels respectively.

7. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said rail means compriseupper and lower horizontal rails having opposing longitudinal grooves inthe respective lower and upper edges thereof, said panel meanscomprising a panel having its upper and lower edge portions seated insaid grooves.

8. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said panel has upper andlower portions cut along irregular lines to provide each of saidportions with a series of prominences and recesses therebetween, thesize and shape of the prominences of each panel portion beingcomplementally identical to the size and shape of the recesses in theother panel portion. 7

9. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein said fence posts includemeans for connecting said upper and lower rails together.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,785 9/ 1930 Davidson.

3,037,593 6/ 1962 Webster.

3,101,929 8/1963 Dvore 256-24 549,714 11/1895 Foster 52-613 X 656,314 8/1900 Beerbower.

977,862 12/1910 Grant 256-64 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

